Mercedes confirm Kimi Antonelli absence as F1 stars battling illness ahead of Mexican GP

Mercedes have confirmed that Kimi Antonelli will not attend media day ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix as he battles a viral illness.

The announcement comes just days after Antonelli's victory at the US Grand Prix, which left him on the cusp of securing the F1 2026 drivers' championship in Mexico City this weekend.

While he needed several results to go his way in Austin, Antonelli's path to securing the title this time around looks far more straightforward.

Even if George Russell wins the Mexican Grand Prix on Sunday, two points and P9 would be enough for Antonelli to be crowned champion. If Lewis Hamilton wins the race in Mexico, one point and P10 would be all he needs.

If neither Russell nor Hamilton are victorious, Antonelli will be crowned F1 champion regardless of where he finishes in Mexico.

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Kimi Antonelli suffering with illness ahead of Mexican GP

Preparations for the weekend sound as though they have not been ideal, though, with Mercedes confirming that Antonelli is battling a viral illness ahead of the event.

As a result, Antonelli has not attended media day at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Thursday.

"Kimi is feeling under the weather today as he recovers from a viral illness," Mercedes confirmed in a short statement.

"As a precaution, the FIA has excused him from his mandatory media duties to give him the chance to rest ahead of the weekend."

Fortunately, Mercedes expect Kimi to be at the track tomorrow when free practice gets underway.

"We expect him to be back tomorrow," the team confirmed.

Valtteri Bottas also ill

Unfortunately, Antonelli is not the only driver forced who has been forced to miss media day in Mexico, with Cadillac sharing an update on Valtteri Bottas' health on Thursday, too.

Like Antonelli, Bottas is feeling unwell ahead of this weekend's race, though he is also expected to be in the car tomorrow.

"Valtteri Bottas will unfortunately be unable to attend today’s media day in Mexico City as he is unwell," Cadillac said in a short statement. "The team has taken the decision to allow him a day of rest to support his recovery.

"This is a precautionary measure and does not currently affect his participation in the remainder of the race weekend. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates if necessary."

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